Distance learning PGCE

Hi,
I'm brand new to this and just starting out on my fact finding mission but am finding it very complicated so would appreciate any help you can offer.

I am a police officer due to retire in the next couple of years - and want to move into primary school teaching. I have 5 young children myself so can't afford to just leave work and then start training, I need to do what I can whilst I'm still in full time employment. However, I can;t get the time off to do school placements.

Is it possible to do a year of distance learning for theory etc. and then do a final year with all the placements where I could get a part time job to see me through, or are the placements throughout the period of the course ? I have al the qualifications I need - a degree in psychology and O's and A's in sciences and maths.

There are some flexi courses over 2 years, where you do short placements in the first year, such as serial (2-3 days a week in school) and a couple of full weeks, and then do a couple of long full-time placements over 4-6 weeks in the second year. You have to do a minimum of 90 days in school in order to get QTS. What you cannot do is just do theory for a year, because theory without practical training in school is of limited use in teaching, since reflection - practice informed by theory - is a key part of being a professional teacher.